duodenum
pronunciation
How to pronounce duodenum in British English:
UK [ˌdju:əˈdi:nəm]
How to pronounce duodenum in American English:
US [ˌduəˈdinəm]
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- Noun:
- the part of the small intestine between the stomach and the jejunum
Word Origin
- duodenum
- duodenum: [14] The term duodenum, for the first part of the small intestine, originated as a measure of length. It comes from the medieval Latin phrase intestinum duodēnum digitōrum ‘intestine of twelve digits’ – that is, twelve finger-breadths long, or just over 20 centimetres. Latin duodēnī meant literally ‘twelve each’; it was a derivative of duodecim ‘twelve’ (source also of English dozen).=> dozen
- duodenum (n.)
- late 14c., from Medieval Latin duodenum digitorium "space of twelve digits," from Latin duodeni "twelve each." Coined by Gerard of Cremona (d.1187), who translated "Canon Avicennae," a loan-translation of Greek dodekadaktylon, literally "twelve fingers long," the intestine part so called by Greek physician Herophilus (c. 353-280 B.C.E.) for its length, about equal to the breadth of twelve fingers.